As automotive vehicles become increasingly “electronic”, wiring and wiring harnesses have become a prominent feature throughout the vehicle. A seemingly tangled mass of wires can be found in the typical engine compartment and running through the entire body of the vehicle. In most cases, the wires are shrouded within protective tubes, which are typically flexible plastic tubes slit along the length for insertion of the wires laterally into the protective tube. The protective tubes are sufficiently rigid, often having a corrugated or ribbed construction, so that the tubes remain “closed” about the wires within. Although the wires are housed within protection tubes, some wiring still needs to be repaired or replaced.
A typical wiring arrangement for a vehicle, for instance, includes several junctions at which wire(s) exit the harness or protective tube for connection to an electrical component. At other junctions, wiring in one harness intersects wiring in another harness to be directed to a common electrical location. The junction is typically wrapped in electrical tape in order to secure the exiting or entering wire(s) relative to the harness and to preserve the integrity of the protection tube. Repair or replacement of a wire(s) within a multiple wire harness can be problematic, particularly at the junctions. Some repair technicians circumvent the problems by simply running the replaced or repaired wire outside the existing harness or protective tube. This approach is undesirable because the new wire(s) is exposed and subject to damage, particularly within the engine compartment of a vehicle. In other cases, the technician cuts open the harness, installs or replaces the new wire(s) and attempts to reassemble the harness. While this approach protects the new wire(s) it can be very time-consuming. The conscientious repair technician wants to replace the wire(s) and restore the wires and wiring harness to its original condition for both functionality and appearance. Consequently, there is a need for a device or tool that can facilitate the installation of a new wire(s) in an existing wiring system. It can be appreciated that this device or tool can be used outside the repair of automotive electrical systems, anywhere that a wiring harness and protective tubing is used.